Ear muff



Aug. i7, 1948. R. E. MAXANT EAR MUFF Filed Feb. l, 1947 HW N Patented Aug. 17, 1948 EAR MUFF Robert E. Maxant, Riverside, Ill., assignor to Maxant Button & Supply Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 1, 1947, Serial No. 725,926

4 Claims.

This invention relates to ear muis and more particularly to improvements in the type of ear muffs shown in L. E. McDonough Patent No. 2,216,954, issued October 8, 1940.

In said McDonough patent an outer covering and an inner liner are clamped between a ilanged annular frame and a ring to provide an ear muli wherein the liner is Worn adjacent to the ear and a band fastener extends through a slit in the liner and is carried by the ring.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved ear muif wherein the liner is entirely omitted, wherein the covering is worn adjacent the ear, wherein an exposed solid frame is substituted for the ring to add strength to the ear muff and to provide for a decorative or twotone appearance, and wherein the band fastener extends through a slit in the covering.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims, and drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of ear muffs;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ear mui made in accordance with one form of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the ear muli of Fig. 2, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view -similar to Fig. 3 but showing another form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective View of the parts of the ear muif illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a pair of ear muffs I0 each provided with a band fastener I I pivotally connected to a flexible band I2 by pivots I3. The band I2 is composed of two adjacent ilexible strips of metal upon one end of each of which is secured an ear mui I0 and on the other end a ring I4 which provides a loop through which the other exible strip may slide so that the flexible band I2 may be extended in length, if desired, to accommodate heads of dilferent sizes.

The ear Inuif I0, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 includes a flanged annular frame I6 having a supporting portion l'I and a ange portion I8. Preferably, the ilange portion I8 is provided with a series of notches I9 to permit the edge of the flange a'dacent the notches I9 to be turned inwardly. The flanged annular frame I6 is provided with a bracket having a pair of slots 2I. The bracket 20 is folded back upon itself at 22 with the slots 2I in alignment and the folded portion 22 acts as a pivot for the band fastener II. One end of the band fastener II is provided with a loop 23 extending through the slots 2I so that the loop 23 is pivotally mounted on the portion 22 of the bracket. The other end of the band fastener Il is provided with a hole 24 for receiving the pivot pin I3 for securing the same to the exible band I2.

A covering 26, preferably made of a heavy pile fabric, or fur or the like, is provided with a slit 21 for accommodating the band fastener II. The covering 26 is applied to the flanged annular frame I6 with the edges of the covering completely overlapping the flange I8 of the frame, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 3.

The solid frame 30 is concavo-convex in conguration and it is provided with a marginal rim 3| adapted to be received within the ange I8 of the anged annular frame I6. When it is so received, the overlapping edge 28 of the covering 26 is interposed between the rim 3I and the flanged annular frame I6, as indicated in Fig. 3. The edge of the ange I8 is then bent over, this being permitted by the notches I9, to clamp the covering between the solid frame 30 and the annular frame I6.

When the parts are being assembled, as described above, the band fastener II is inserted through the slit 21 in the covering 26. The ear mui thus formed has the covering 26 adjacent the ear of the wearer and the solid frame 30 exteriorly. The solid frame 30, if desired, may be colored differently than the coloring of the covering 26 to provide a pleasing two-tone, decorative effect, and if desired suitable ornamentation may be applied to the solid frame 30, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 1.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is the same as that illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, with the exception that the band fastener II is pivotally carried by the solid frame 30 rather than by the ilanged annular frame I6. In this connection a bracket 35 is suitably secured to the interior of the solid frame 30, as by spot welding, and the bracket 35 is provided with a slot 36 for receiving the loop 23 of the band fastener II whereby the band fastener II is pivotally mounted at 3l. Here as in the previous form of the invention, the band fastener II extends through a slit 2'I in the covering 26. v

While for purposes of illustration two forms of this invention have been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure, and, therefore, this invention is to be 3 limited only by the scope of the appended claims and prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. An ear muil comprising a flanged annular frame, a covering for the frame and completely overlapping the flange thereof and adapted to be worn adjacent the ear, a solid frame received in the annular frame with the covering clamped between the solid frame and the flange and adapted to be exposed when worn, and a band fastener extending through a slit in the covering and carried by one of said frames.

2. An ear mui comprising a flanged annular frame, a covering for the frame and 'completely overlapping the flange thereof and adapted'to be worn adjacent the ear, a solid frame received in the annular frame with the coveringclamped between the solid frame and the flange and adapted to be exposed when worn, a pivot formed on the annular frame, and a band fastener extending through a.l slit in Vtlfiecovering andA ca-rriedby lthe pivot.

3. `An ear muri-comprising a flanged annular frame, a covering for the frame andcompletely overlapping the Aflange thereof -an'd adapted to be worn adjacent the ear, a solid frame -reconcave side facing the covering and with the covering clamped between the solid frame and `the'flange and adapted to be exposed when worn,

and aband fastener extending through a slit in 4the covering and'carried by one of said frames.

ROBERT E. MAXANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille-of this patent:

UNITED'STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,216,954 McDonough Oct. 8, 1940 A2,314,782 Goretsky Mar. 23, 1943 

